Joint for folding chairs



(No Model.)

A. F. OLD.

JOINT FOR FOLDING CHAIRS.

No. 403,772. Patented May 21 1889.

RS, Halo-Lithographer. Washingtom D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUSBORN F. OLD, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO THE ANDREWVS MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, OF NEYV YORK, 1T. Y.

JOINT FOR FOLDING CHAIRS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,772, dated May 21, 1889. Application filed September 24, 1888. Serial No. 286,199. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: A A represent the two back posts, which Be it known that I, AUSBORN F. OLD, of extend downward and forward, terminating Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State in what may be called the front legs, B B, of New York, have invented a new Improveand between which the seat C is hung in the 55 5 ment in Joints for Folding Chairs; and I do usual manner.

hereby declare the following, when taken in D D represent the two rear legs, which exconnection with accompanying drawings and tend upward and forward, crossing the back the letters of reference marked thereon, to be posts or front legs, and so as to support the a full, clear, and exact description of the same, seat at the fronta common and well-known 60 and which said drawings constitute part of construction, broadly considered. The legs this specification, and represent, in D D are pivoted to the legs B B at the points Figure 1, a perspective view of the chair as of crossing, and so that the chair may be $613 P; Fig. 2, a side View of the same folded; folded, as seen in Fig. 2, in the usual manner Fig. 3, a face view of one plate; Fig. 4, a corof folding in this class of chairs. 65 responding face view of the other plate; Fig. The seat, being hinged to the'back, simply 5, a vertical section through the two plates rests upon the upper end of the rear legs, D, as applied to the two legs of the folding chair. and therefore does not make a firm connec- Figs. 6and7 illustrate the operation of the two tion therewith, so as to support the chair in plates in the opening and closing movement the set-up position. Consequently it is neces- 7o of the legs. sary that there shall be some support between This invention relates to an improvement the legs, which will firmly hold them in such in that class of folding chairs and settees in setup condition independent of the seat. To which the supporting-legs are crossedthat this end I construct the two plates E F prefis to say, the back-frame extends down and erably of circular shape and with an extension 75 forward under the settee, while the legs from or ear, G, at opposite points, provided with the front of the settee extend downward and screw-holes, and by which the plates may be rearward and across the other legs, the pivot secured to the respective legs. The plate E being at the point where the legs cross. is constructed at its center witha projecting The invention relates particularly to the pivot, H. (See Figs.3and 5.) Thispivot is con- 80 construction of the pivot-joint between the centrically arranged on the plate. The other legs, the object of the invention being a simplate, F, is constructed with a central concenple and cheap construction of pivot, which trio recess, I, corresponding to the pivot H of shall at the same time form stops to firmly the pivot-plate E, and so that the pivot of support the legs when in the set-up position, one plate may enter the recess of the other, 85 and avoid the necessity of bolts as pivots; as seen in Fig. 5, and thus form a pivot-bearand the invention consists in a pair of plates ing between the two plates, and upon which adapted to be secured to the adjacent faces the plates may swing. of the respective legs, one plate constructed In the plate F, and concentric with the with a projecting stud to form the pivot, the pivot-seat I, two recesses, J K, are formed, as 0 other plate constructed with a corresponding seen in Figs. 4 and 5, and on the correspondrecess, within which the said stud of the other ing face of the pivot-plate E studs L M are plate will Work as a pivot, the said pivotformedfcorresponding,respectively,to the replate also constructed with two projecting cesses J K of the plate F, and so that the said studs on the pivot side, and the pivot-seat studs work in the respective recesses as the 95 plate constructed with two recesses concenplates swing or oscillate one upon the other. trio with the pivot-seat and corresponding The ends of the recesses form,respectively, tothe said two studs on the pivot-plate, the shoulders at b, against which the respective said recesses terminating at points where studs may strike, so as to arrest the rotation said studs will come to a bearing'when the of the plates, the one upon the other. This 100 chair is set up, as more fully hereinafter decompletes the construction of the plates. They scribed. are applied to the legs, as seen in Fig. 5, in a position so that the pivot and its seat correspond to the crossing of the legs, and so that when in the folded position, as represented in Fig. 6, the studs L M stand free in their respective recesses, as indicated in Fig. 6; but in setting up the chair the legs are spread, turning upon their respective pivots and until thestuds come to a bearing on the respective shoulders of the recesses, as indicated in Fig. 7. These shoulders of the one plate and the studs of the other form firm bearings,

which arrest the turning of the legs when the chair is fully set up and firmly support the chair in that position.

The cross-ties of rundles which connect the legs and the back hold the legs in their proper relative position, so that no bolt is necessary through the legs at the pivot to make a connection at that point. I, however, for convenience, construct the two plates with a central opening through them, as represented, to permit the introduction of a bolt or screw, should occasion require.

The two plates are made complete in cast ing, so that no mechanical labor other than that necessary to produce the casting isrequired. Thejoint, therefore, is of the cheapest possible character, as well as eifective, and in no Way detracts from the appearance of the chair.

It will be understood that while describing and illustrating this invention as applied to folding chairs it is applicable alike to other articles of furniture, as tables, chairs, settees, &c.,in which the supports cross and fold substantially as do the legs of the chair described.

I am aware that joints for foldingchairs have been constructed with stops working in slots concentric with the pivot to support the chair when open, and therefore do not claim, broadly, such a joint, the essential feature of my invention being the formation of the plates, one having as an integral part of it a pivot, the other with a corresponding recess to form a seat for such pivot, and one of the plates constructed with slots outside the pivot, but concentric therewith, and the other plate constructed with studs as an integral part of it, corresponding to and so as to Work in said slots, as hereinafter particularly specified.

I claim The herein described pivot for folding chairs, consisting of two plates, E F, having projecting ears therefrom, by which the plates may be secured, the said plates constructed the one with a central stud to form the pivot and the other with a corresponding central recess to form the seat for the pivot, one plate constructed with studs L M on its face, the other plate constructed with recesses J K concentric to the pivot, and corresponding to the said two studs L M, the ends of the said recesses forming, respec ively, shoulders 11 17, against which the said studs may come to a bearing, substantially as described.

' AUSBORN F. 01.15.

Witnesses:

E. E. MALMAR, W. H. DOBBIE. 

